RESUMEN
'Manda Koso' is a commercial fermented plant product (FPP) made from 53 types of fruits and vegetables that have been fermented for >3 years and 3 months. We hypothesized that FPP intake improves the luminal environment of rats fed a high-fat diet. Thus, the present study examined the effects of consumption of 5% FPP diet for 3 weeks on colonic luminal parameters in rats fed a 30% beef tallow diet. Food intake and body weight gain were unaffected. Consumption of the FPP diet did not influence the proportions of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, Prevotella or Clostridium in cecal contents. However, the FPP diet caused a significant reduction (-88%) in the level of cecal succinate, a putative inflammatory signal (P<0.01), but did not affect the levels of n-butyrate, propionate, acetate and lactate. The fecal levels of deoxycholate and hyodeoxycholate, which are toxic bile acids, were also significantly reduced by the FPP diet (P<0.05). The FPP diet significantly increased fecal immunoglobulin A and mucins responsible for intestinal immune and barrier functions (P<0.05). The results suggest that the consumption of FPP is beneficial for the colonic luminal environment in rats fed a high-fat diet.
RESUMEN
The present study investigated the effects of the dietary addition of the protease preparations derived from Aspergillus on the colonic luminal environment. Rats were fed a 30% beef tallow diet with or without the protease preparations, including Amano protease (protease A 'Amano SD', neutral proteases from Aspergillus spp.) or orientase (orientase AY, acid proteases from Aspergillus niger) at the dose of 0.2% for 3 weeks. Cecal Bifidobacterium was significantly elevated in the dietary Amano protease group (194-fold, P<0.05), but not in the orientase group. Lactobacillus was elevated in the two groups (P<0.05). Cecal n-butyrate, propionate and lactate were higher in the Amano protease and orientase groups compared with the controls (P<0.05). Fecal immunoglobulin A and mucins were elevated in the Amano protease group (P<0.05). These results suggest the potential effect of the consumption of Aspergillus-derived protease preparations that are favorable for the colonic luminal environment in rats fed a high-fat diet.
RESUMEN
This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with burdock powder and Aspergillus awamori-fermented burdock powder at 5% on the intestinal luminal environment and body fat in rats fed a high-fat (HF) diet. Food intake and growth were unaffected by dietary manipulation. Consumption of the burdock and fermented burdock diets significantly elevated fecal IgA and mucins (indices of intestinal immune and barrier functions) and reduced fecal lithocholic acid (a risk factor for colon cancer) (p<0.05). The fermented burdock diet markedly elevated cecal Bifidobacterium and organic acids, including lactate, acetate, propionate, and butyrate, and reduced fecal deoxycholic acid (a risk factor for colon cancer) and perirenal adipose tissue weight (p<0.05), but the burdock diet did not. These results suggest that consumption of fermented burdock improves the intestinal luminal environment and suppresses obesity in rats fed a HF diet.